BluTest

Using advanced analysis techniques our biofilm testing services cover an extensive library of biofilm forming species, including clinical isolates, which can be screened for:

• Sessile minimum inhibitory concentration assays (SMIC) to measure inhibition or dispersal of the biofilm following treatment.

• Kill time for screening the efficacy of anti-microbial/anti infective compounds.

• Quantitative compositional analysis of both live and total numbers of each species within mixed species biofilm over time during treatment

• Established and Validated Biofilm Inhibition or Disruption Assay for Wound Dressings. 

• High quality imaging of biofilms using scanning electron microscopy (SEM).

Our assays are based on a simple and reproducible 96-well plate-based method originally designed for the formation of fungal biofilms and it's application to antifungal susceptibility testing.   

• BluTest's high quality biofilm testing model allows clients to test the antimicrobial efficacy of their products against microbial biofilms using a validated high-throughput testing platform. The assays are highly flexible and can be adapted to support the growth of different biofilm-forming microorganisms on 24, 96 and 384 well plates. Cell viability after treatment with the desired anti-microbial is then measured using a reliable metabolic assay. 

Commercial washes are more effective than azole antifungals against Candida albicans biofilms in vitro.

Biofilm formation by clinical isolates of Staphylococcus aureus.

WHY TEST AGAINST BIOFILM

• Up to 90% of bacteria exist as biofilms in nature and  these can include combinations of bacteria, fungi and yeast. Biofilms provide protection through mutualistic relationships between species and a surrounding extracellular matrix which can make them difficult to inhibit or disperse in addition to being less susceptible to anti-microbial agents.

• The current standard testing methods of bactericidal and bacteriostatic actives use planktonic bacteria. However, biofilms have been repeatedly shown to be significantly more resistant to anti-microbial compounds compared to their planktonic counterparts. As a result such testing may misjudge the concentrations of active required to combat a biofilm.

Bespoke biofilm models

In addition to our standard testing Blutest has expertise in developing multi-species/ interkingdom biofilm models to suit a variety of real world applications. Please contact us to see how we can help design a model which is suited to your requirements.

Co-culture models containing biofilms and host cells for testing anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial actives. This model can be used to assess both the biofilm and cell response to treatment. 

Co-culture models to measure anti-inflammatory or protective effects of treatments in addition to any bactericidal or bacteriostatic properties. This model can be used to measure cell viability and a range of host immune responses via gene expression and protein release in addition to analysis on the biofilm itself.

More information on biofilms can be sourced from: Are we any closer to beating the biofilm?: Novel methods of biofilm control.